1. H.R. 658, the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012", was signed into law by President Obama on February 14th. A major problem with the legislation is that it includes language that exempts the new technology, collectively called the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), from environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The most important action at this time is for all concerned residents to enter a comment on the Federal register by March 7th, 2012 regarding NexGen and the language of the FAA Reauthorization Bill.

As citizen of Nassau County, an area that will be greatly affected by the implementation of FAA's NEXTGEN program, my main objection to the bill is the language that allows the FAA to ignore the environmental provisions of the Clean Air Act and NEPA that previous congresses have worked so hard to implement. These studies should be allowed to run parallel with NEXTGEN's technology and NOT be considered a Categorical Exemption.

2. Write to your elected officials to get involved with the issue of airplane noise, push for environmental impact studies and getting the FAA and Port Authority to appear at future public hearings. The following officials sent representatives to Monday’s meeting: